"Yes, the heritage of the ancestors must be kept safe." - Despite the prevailing order here, respect for ancient knowledge was ingrained in everyone's minds. So, Seg-Nim-Het had no choice but to agree with me. Books could only be taken out of the library under the guarantee of diligent care for their preservation.

Gently clutching the box in my lower left hand, I hurried to the library, quickly moving my legs. I was starting to like this body. It was much more convenient than a human one. Upon reaching the Repository of Knowledge, I slipped into one of the narrow passages, and within a few seconds, my shadow clone emerged. Though it was not well-suited for physical interaction with the world, it was almost indistinguishable from me. Given the taboo against close physical contact among spiders, I hoped my deception would remain undiscovered until the very end.

While the clone made its way to the queen's chambers, I activated my camouflage and teleported to one of the lower levels where I had previously placed a Hiraishin mark. Judging by the traces, a spider had last passed through this place a couple of hundred years ago. I lay in wait, observing what was happening with my clone.

Upon reaching the throne room, Seg-Nim-Het overtook me and entered the vast room adorned with glowing runes. This branch of magic was used to create various artifacts and became the foundation upon which I built the local agriculture.

"Queen, as per your order, I have brought the worker with the memory of the ancients, who made a small contribution to your agricultural development plan" - the female-spider fawned, stepping aside.

When Seg-Nim-Het retreated to the wall, the space before me revealed a multitude of spiders of various sizes. At the far end of the hall stood the giant queen, towering at least ten meters high.

"So, this is what you are, heir of the ancients" - the queen's voice echoed in my head. - "Forbidden knowledge has twisted your body, making you neither a mage, nor a warrior, nor even a worker."

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There was a hint of disdain and... envy in the ruler's thoughts. Envy of my magical abilities, which surpassed anything available to her and her entourage. Only my young age prevented me from standing on equal footing with her. It was clear to everyone present that in just ten years, I could become a threat to the established order.

"There is no place for someone like you in our society" - the queen continued. - "Therefore, in the name of maintaining order, your life must end. You have helped me restore the greatness of our race, so I grant you the right to ask me one question."

Indeed, a royal gift. The queen fell silent, and all the spectators turned their gazes toward me, holding their breath. What to say as a parting shot?

"Seg-Nim-Het mentioned that because of my knowledge, she was now just a step away from becoming queen herself. Is that true?"

All eyes shifted toward my superior. She could only manage a few feeble sounds before collapsing to the ground unconscious. Heh-heh. Not everything goes smoothly for the cat. The queen cast a spell, which extended like a phantom whip from her to the would-be contender and shredded her to pieces.

"No, she was mistaken" - the supreme judge replied dispassionately.

I mentally smiled at this. Over the past year, I had mainly interacted with only two spiders, both of whom were now dead. The rest of the colony inhabitants had no idea what abilities I possessed. The fact that I had chakra remained a closely guarded secret, allowing me to stage my escape effectively and efficiently.

"Of course, she was mistaken" - I replied, broadcasting my speech to everyone present. - "Our colony needs not a queen, but a king. And that king will be me. After I destroy you all."

With these words, I cast a wide-area spell, "Death's Ash," targeting the crowd before me. The energy source for this spell was a small crystal battery, a technology I gleaned from the books. My grandstanding momentarily stunned everyone present, leaving them unprotected, and the spell annihilated several dozen targets. But within a second, a storm of magic rained down on my clone, erasing all traces of my presence and the bodies of the unfortunate spiders who were near me at that moment.

I replayed the recent events in my mind and then moved through the abandoned passages to my hideout. The attempt on my life hadn't come as a surprise. I had long been prepared for such a development. In the distant corridors, I had set up my plantation, where the best plant specimens grew, mushrooms ripened, and feeder beetles multiplied. This should be more than enough for a comfortable life.